


A Case of Identity

by Ink-Raven (k505)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Betrayal, Bisexuality, Bottom Tony Stark, Demiromantic, Demisexuality, Detectives, Double Anal Penetration, Explicit Sexual Content, Extremis Harley Keener, Extremis James Rhodes, Extremis Pepper Potts, Extremis Tony Stark, F/F, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Genetically Engineered Beings, Ghosts, Homosexuality, Identity Issues, Jealous Steve Rogers, M/M, Magic, Marking, Multi, Mystery, New Abilities, New Magic System, New Magical Skills, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Original Character(s), Overpowered Tony Stark, Possessive Bucky Barnes, Possessive Steve Rogers, Post-Avengers (2012), Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Pregnant Sex, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Steve Rogers, Psychic Abilities, Secret Identity, Shapeshifting, Suspense, Technopathy, Top Bucky Barnes, Top Steve Rogers, Unplanned Pregnancy, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-20 20:52:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18532960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/k505/pseuds/Ink-Raven
Summary: “I am not who you think I am.”Three years after being sentenced to life in prison, serial killer Mateo Andersson admits to an undercover Shield employee, that he took the fall for the real killer, Tiberius Stone. Mateo was instructed to clean up Tiberius’s mess by his father, Claudius Stone, burying the bodies of Tiberius’s many victims. When the corpses are found between Shield and the FBI, among them are the skeletal remains of thirteen-year-old Anthony “Tony” Stark. Who is the man pretending to be Howard’s son? How did he slip so effortlessly into the role? Shield investigates but ends up with more questions than answers.





	A Case of Identity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [queenpenthesilea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenpenthesilea/gifts), [BluC1026](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluC1026/gifts).



#  **A Case of Identity**

_“I am not who you think I am.”_

**Extremely Explicit Adult Content – _Read at your Own discretion_**

(Recommended for Readers 18 years or older - NSFW)

Created, Written and Illustrated by Ink-Raven (k505)

Edited by BluC1026 

 **(Full) Disclaimer and AUTHOR’s Note:** I do not own the Marvel Universe (Animation/Comics/Films/Television). It belongs to its respective creators and various publishers. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Please note, this is a work of fiction and depicts the characters and not the actors in anyway.

 **Permission:** Please **_feel free to_** write your own spins offs of this story (after discussing the premise with me via my email), translate it into another language, create podcasts, or draw fan art (I’d be very appreciative if someone turned this into a fan manga or fan comic). However, please link them back to this story, either through a hyperlink or “inspired by.” This story does not belong to you and although, I’m allowing spin-offs, translations, podcasts and comics, I am not giving you permission to claim this story as your own. If you’re desperate to speak with me, you can email me at **_bryona.e.hart@gmail.com_**. Flames are not appreciated and will get you blocked from my email. Constructive criticism is always welcomed, so long as you provide examples and facts. This story and the spin-offs must only be posted on Archive of Our Own, unless the Archive is deleted

 **Summary:** _“I am not who you think I am.”_ Three years after being sentenced to life in prison, serial killer Mateo Andersson admits to an undercover Shield employee, that he took the fall for the real killer, Tiberius Stone. Mateo was instructed to clean up Tiberius’s mess by his father, Claudius Stone, burying the bodies of Tiberius’s many victims. When the corpses are found between Shield and the FBI, among them are the skeletal remains of thirteen-year-old Anthony “Tony” Stark. Who is the man pretending to be Howard’s son? How did he slip so effortlessly into the role? Shield investigates but ends up with more questions than answers.

 **Story Inspired by the Art:** http://hello-shellhead.tumblr.com/post/151393706581/sorcerermagicianwitch-tony-with-his-familiar

 **Endgame Pairing(s):** Steve Rogers ǀ Captain America/James “Bucky” Barnes ǀ Winter Soldier/Tony (Sort-of) ǀ Ghost of Tanglewood

 **Endgame Side Pairing(s):** Col. James Rhodes ǀ War Machine/Carol Danvers ǀ Captain Marvel, Sam Wilson ǀ Falcon/Mathias Serafino ǀ Detective Serafino, Natasha Romanov ǀ Black Widow/Virginia ”Pepper” Potts, Phil Coulson ǀ Handler/Clint Barton ǀ Hawkeye, Stephen Strange ǀ Sorcerer Supreme/Bruce Banner ǀ The Hulk, Scott Lang ǀ Ant-Man/Hope Van Dyne ǀ The Wasp, Harley Keener ǀ Mechanic/Peter Parker ǀ Spiderman, Riri Williams ǀ Iron Heart/Shuri ǀ Prodigy, Loki/Darcy Lewis ǀ Overwatch, Thor/Janes Foster, King T’Challa ǀ Black Panther/Nakia, Frank Castle ǀ Punisher/Matt Murdock ǀ Daredevil/Elektra Natchios, Robert Drake ǀ Iceman/John Allerdyce ǀ Pyro/Anna-Marie ǀ Rogue, James Howlett ǀ Wolverine/Remy LeBeau ǀ Gambit, Luke Cage/Jessica Jones, Scott Summers ǀ Cyclops/Daniel Rand ǀ Iron Fist/Jean Grey ǀ Phoenix, Charles Xavier ǀ Professor X/Erik Lehnsherr ǀ Magneto, Hank McCoy ǀ Beast/Raven Darkhölme ǀ Mystique, Katherine “Kitty” Pryde ǀ Shadowcat/Elizabeth “Betsy” Braddock ǀ Psylocke, Lincoln Campbell ǀ Spark/ Daisy Johnson ǀ Quake, William Kaplan ǀ Wiccan/Dante Pertuz ǀ Inferno/America Chavez ǀ America, Cameron Klein ǀ The Technician/Vision, Dr. Victor von Doom/Johnny Storm ǀ Human Torch, Reid Richards ǀ Mr. Fantastic/Susan Storm ǀ Invisible Woman, Ben Grimm ǀ The Thing/Alicia Masters, Jennifer Walters ǀ She-Hulk/Dr. Claire Temple

 **Timeline Note:** All Cinematic events which occur in this universe happened two years previous to the film’s dates. So, Captain America: Civil War occurred in 2014, not 2016. Captain America: The Winter Soldier occurs in 2012, not in 2014. The Avengers occurs in 2010 and an Altered-Iron Man occurs in 2006. Iron Man II & III does not occur.

* * *

Introduction

**Your Fictitious Reality**

_“Come closer and see …”_

 

“He lied to us! He betrayed our trust!” Pepper shouts at James “Jim” Rhodes, “How can you still call him your friend?!”

“He is my friend, no matter the name he uses!” Jim insists vehemently, “I knew him since he was fourteen-years-old. I don’t just abandon a friend because it is convenient to do so! And I refuse to betray his trust and friendship in that interview you set up without my permission! He is my friend, and nothing will change that.” Jim insists.

“This isn’t about convenience or your stupid loyalty! His lies have jeopardized Stark Industries. That is not something I can support! He’s destroying the company with bad publicity! If only he had warned us, we could have prepared for it!” Pepper screams.  

“Then you were never truly his friend at all. You’re using him.” Jim says simply, Pepper raises her hand to slap Jim. Jim catches her wrist and gives her a gentle push backwards. “Try to slap me again and I’ll ruin you.”

“You’re my fucking boyfriend! You should be seeing this from my perspective.” Pepper snaps sullenly.

“No, you’re my ex-girlfriend. You should shut up and think this through, but, hell, I can’t force you. I don’t know what I thought I saw in you.” Jim snarls angrily, stalking away.

 **April 24** **th** **, 2007.** The sky is covered in thick storm-clouds, blotting out the sunlight like ink-blots on paper. Rain fell, soaking pedestrians and the media, who stood on the steps of Stark Tower. They were waiting for the chance to bombard the reclusive genius with snapped photographs and provocative questions as he was led out in handcuffs. It was newest scandal, Tony Stark, the reclusive genius, was in fact not the son of Howard and Maria Stark. Tony Stark was dead, murdered by his former boyfriend, Tiberius Stone in the early 1980's. Many wondered how Howard and Maria Stark, and even Obadiah Stane, never realized that their son, and godson respectively, was dead. The public wondered how Tony’s family hadn’t realized that a stranger was wearing his identity like a proverbial second-skin. Only the discovery of Tony Stark’s remains revealed the truth and then Stone’s furious confession warranted further investigation into the mysterious would-be-Stark. The Massachusetts State Police department had handed over the investigation on Stark to the Government, which was quickly taken over by a covert task force of Shield Agents in the FBI.

To the shock of many, Stark did not disappear when the news broke, entirely too early, about the investigation. The government was chomping on their metaphorical bits to legally possess the Iron Man armor. Stark Industries had removed the impostor from the company’s CEO position, giving it to Miss Potts, and were discussing lawsuits. Agent Romanov knew the lawsuits would be called off until there was a sentencing. While, the impostor’s massive fortune was of interest, it was his intelligence and innovation, which was their cash cow. Stark Industries had become the richest company in the northern hemisphere with the man’s inventions. The company would lose a lot of money if the man was imprisoned. His personal fortune would not be enough to balance the company’s losses. Stark Industries might even reverse Tony’s decision to pull out of the arms manufacturing business, which he did in the early 1990's. Natasha had never met Tony face-to-face, instead interacting with him through his Artificial Intelligence, Jarvis, as Lawyer Natalie Rushman. Which she did for a single day. Natalie had been let go of the following morning with a tidy severance package.

Agent Romanov watches from the Shield transport van, waiting for the Agents to bring the reclusive genius out from the tower. The doors open and Shield Agents, dressed as FBI agents, escort a tall and slender man out wearing a coat over his head. The Media were disappointed that they would be able to snap a picture of the man’s face. One bold reporter reaches for the coat, in his frustration, to rip it off. However, the impostor casually knocks his hand out of the way. Then the Agents load the man into the van, the tinted windows prevents the media from seeing inside. The door shuts and an agent pulls the coat off of the man’s head. For a moment, Natasha lets her surprise show at how handsome the impostor is, he looks like he stepped off the pages of a modeling magazine. He’s got ebony curls and pale-blue eyes. Then she turns away, starting the van.  

 **August 20** **th** **, 2007.** It takes them a little more than three months to admit defeat. The impostor will not speak. Nothing motivates him to give the answers that they want, not even pain. Furthermore, Director Fury has noticed a disturbing pattern among some of his agents. There’s been accidents, a bottle of the flu vaccine switched out for a mixture of poisons used in the executions of death row inmates. A taser slipped and discharged voltage which would be too high for the average human to survive. The impostor is enhanced, but to what extent, they do not know. They do know he has accelerated healing, an incredible pain threshold, and a higher metabolism. Brain scans indicate a higher level of mental activity than ever presented in the average humans. Blood tests tell the story of him being genetic engineered in the womb. They begin calling him, Agent Doe. His fingerprints are not on file or in any active crime scene. Nick Fury secretly creates a long term prison cell which location is only known to his trusted few. Agent Doe is quietly moved there. The public interest in the Stark case has waned without any information. So, this mysterious man fades into the pages of aging newspapers and corporate legends. Stark Industries does indeed return to weapons manufacturing in a desperate bid to keep their company afloat under its new CEO, Morgan Stark. Morgan Stark is the playboy nephew of Howard Stark, with a ruthless streak which is considered both conducive in business and unfavorable by the general public. The armored hero, War Machine, is born when the mysterious Agent Doe, leaves only one flight-capable armor behind.

* * *

“Any recovered suits are the property of Stark Industries!” Morgan Stark insists as the welders work on the laboratory doors. Jarvis watches the proceedings with amusement from the ceiling. The welders have been working on the doors for hours, yet no progress has been made.

“Mister Stark,” the army official says, “With all due respect, that man patented the armor under the name Anthony Stark, not to Stark Industries.” He says irritably. “The armor would benefit the army greatly.”

“Again, it is patented to the Stark family, not to the Army.” Morgan insists imperiously.

“Sirs,” the army welder interrupts, “We are unable to breach the metal of these doors. However, we did discover a built in numerical override with a message from the impostor.” The welder says leading both men over to the push pad. Engraved into the metal is the name “James Rhodes,” and the image of an ice cream cone.

“Get Colonel James Rhodes in here!” The army official insists.

It takes approximately thirty minutes for Jim to appear on the scene, escorted by soldiers. “Colonel Rhodes,” the army official greets the man, “We require your assistance with opening the workshop.” the man commands. Jim approaches the doors warily. Upon seeing his name and the ice cream cone welded into the door, he is forced to will away the tears pooling in his eyes, he punches in the code. The doors open with pneumatic hiss.

“Welcome Colonel Rhodes,” Jarvis says. The other individuals present jump at the voice from the ceiling.

“Good to hear you, Jarvis.” Jim says.

“Who is that?!” Morgan Stark demands angrily, “I wasn’t aware someone was still up here!”

“I am Jarvis, the former Tony Stark’s artificial intelligence. I am one of the essential pieces of the Iron Man Armor.”

“What do you mean!” the army official insists.

“The Iron Man armor is not flight capable without my assistance. It is essentially mechanical armor which weighs approximately two tons without me. Furthermore, my creator leaves the last armor, which he did not incinerate, to Colonel James Rhodes to pilot. It is called the War Machine armor. If you attempt to dismantle it, I will blow the armor or refuse my assistance in making it flight capable.” A second pair of glass doors open revealing the War Machine armor on display in an otherwise wrecked laboratory. “The War Machine Armor is fitted with an automatic gun which has ammunition composed of remotely triggered explosive shells and ordinary bullets. Limited force field technology is also built in. It is also fitted with my creator’s new element as its power source. Colonel James Rhodes, this is the armor he created for you!”

The room explodes into protests, as the Army official and Morgan Stark argue over Jim’s head. The argue over the right to possess the armor. _Morgan argues fiercely and angrily. He is clearly angry that he wasn’t going to take over the role of the armored hero, Iron Man. He’s enraged that the man pretending to be his cousin and by extension, Howard Stark, still got one over him. He has always been angry that his father hadn’t inherited the company. Angry that Howard and Tony had gained fame and fortune, where he had been living on his limited income inherited from his father. However, there was nothing he could do in the end._

So, the armored hero, War Machine is born, and time went on.

* * *

**January 22** **nd** **, 2016.** Former Colonel James “Jim” Rhodes watches as the President of the United States pardons the Rogue Avengers, his hands grip the arms of his wheelchair tightly. “Jim,” Vision says from behind him, causing Rhodes to clutch his chest in surprise. He hadn’t heard the android enter the room. “Jim, I refuse to work alongside them again.”

“I am certain they won’t force us.” Jim says calmly, an undercurrent of anger in his voice.

“They won’t,” Says a new voice from behind both of the two men.

“Major Danvers,” Jim says saluting the blonde woman quickly from his wheelchair. “Vision, this is Major Carol Danvers, also known as our Military’s greatest secret asset, Captain Marvel. Major Danvers, let me introduce you to the Vision.” The woman and android shook hands firmly. “Major, how may we help you?”

“As you’ve probably concluded, the President of the United States has pardoned the rogue avengers,” the woman’s lip does a disdainful twist as she says this, “As a political maneuver. However, we the United States Military, and under the United Nations’ purview, are creating a secondary team. We wish to assign the Avengers to the Western Hemisphere, while our new team, the Protectors will maintain the Eastern Hemisphere in compliance with the newly ratified Sokovia accords. The Protectors’ will be based in Upstate New York, while the Avengers will be located in Northern California.”

“Under whose command would the Protectors be?” Vision asks, cautiously.

“My own and the potentially-reinstated Colonel Rhodes.” Carol says succinctly.

Jim lets out a brittle laugh, “Carol, I’m paralyzed from the waist down. What good am I?” Vision’s face creases in concern.

“Extremis,” Colonel Danvers begins.

“Is a ticking time-bomb.” Jim finishes with a note of finality.

“It _was_ a ticking time-bomb,” Carol continues as if uninterrupted, “A friend of ours brokered a deal with certain parties. He will re-calibrate Extremis tailored to your genetics in exchange for his assistance as a temporary liaison between the Avengers and the Protectors. Really, the United Nations will benefit more from the deal than he does, but that’s our friend tends to do.” Carol says with a shrug and a sardonic smile.

“Tony?” Jim breathes in shock, “Where, the hell, is he?!” He demands angrily.

“Shield had him. Fury will transfer him into our care once the contract is printed and signed. Also, they don’t call him Tony anymore, he goes by Tanglewood.”

“Fury is dead.” Jim snaps.

“No, he’s not. Seems like Rogers kept a lot of secrets.” Danvers says, “Here are the case files on potential recruits.” She says handing over a thick pile of manila files from the black messenger back on her shoulder, “My number is attached to the files, please give me a call when you make your decision. We have also predicted that the Avengers will be here, in the old facility by early February, we are willing to set up new lodging for you two until your new accommodations and team is constructed.”

_It would only be a few hours later, when Carol receives Vision’s call, Vision was willing to give it a trial run. Two hours after that, Jim calls in with an affirmative. Carol calls the United Nations and two days later, the States of New York and California break ground on two high-tech facilities in their respective states under an agreement with the United Nations and the US Military._

* * *

Chapter One

**This is a World of Illusions**

_“The closer you get, the less you will see…”_

_“Alpha-Epsilon 927,” the instructor called out to the room filled with genetically-engineered adolescents. The genetical engineered children’s ancestors had been carefully bred for generation for specific traits. The reaction to the order is immediate. The men and women, which the adolescents had restrained after hunting them through the wood, were dead. Their necks were snapped by these child soldiers simultaneously. These men and women were former inmates who had opted to participate in the war games opposed to dying by lethal injection for their crimes. Then a pair of child-soldiers marched another man out of the woods at knife point. “Who is this?” the instructor asks._

_“I am a reporter for the Daily Bugle.” The man says, “If I go missing, they’ll look for me.” The man says frantically._

_“It’s a good thing then, that you won’t go missing. They will of course find your body, only the police will rule it a suicide.” The instructor says grimly, “Who told you to come here?” The reporter’s eyes fell on one of the inmates, he licks his lips nervously._

_“We went to school together,” he says indicating the corpse, “Said he had a tip for me, a big story.”_

_“Well it looks like you ambitions will kill you.” The instructor says._

_“No, please, I have family!” Snap._ I wake with an in-drawn breath, remembering how glassy those light-brown eyes looked in death after my peer had killed him. The reporter’s name had been J. Jonah Jameson Jr., son of the owner of the Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson Sr., and father of  John Jameson. I sink further into my pillow and close my eyes, letting my mind wander to my newest assignment. I am to work alongside the Avengers temporarily. Even temporarily, it is not something I am looking forwards too. Wanda Maximoff was pulled from the team for psychiatric reasons. She has also been reunited with her older twin brother, Pietro Maximoff. Pietro had been lucky that Shield was able to save him. They pulled him out from his bullet-riddled comatose state, with my assistance. Wanda had agreed to the temporary reassignment with Pietro, to recover from her many traumas, and hone her abilities. The so-called Avengers had not been happy with her decision or the assignment of two new members to their team, even temporarily. I’ve met with Daisy previously, and we both are dreading this assignment. _I’ve never really cared for the Avengers. Their very foundation is inherently flawed, “A group of remarkable people, brought together to fight the battles they (the world) never could.” Who decided what make a remarkable individual? By what standard are they judged? And who is meant to govern these powerful individuals? You give these individuals power over others, without the agreement of those individuals, and hope they not abuse this trust? Absolutely power corrupts absolutely, whether the abuse of this power is intentional or not. No man is above the law. Yet this remarkable group of people were exempted from paying the price of their conflicts? Live long enough and heroes will become the villain, for our heroes are human and all humans are fallible._

The room assigned to me, temporarily, is in the old compound, which Stark Industries built in upstate New York, before the Avengers’ messy split and the founding of the Protectors, Defenders, Fantastic Four, and other teams. It had been Jim’s old room. Jim had moved into a different area of the compound, until the new bases are finished. Since I moved in last night, Jim and I had yet to encounter each other. Jim had been called away for an emergency late yesterday evening. I had also been given access to a small laboratory in this compound. I know they were hoping I would update the Avengers’ weapons.

Jim is fighting to have me moved to his team, after Wanda’s return, in a few months. However, I know Director Fury wants me on the Avengers’ team to give them more firepower and leverage. None of the new volunteers are willing to work alongside the Avengers. Daisy is on probation and has been assigned to the Avengers during that period. She has the right to request a transfer in the future. Due to a technicality, I’m not considered a citizen of the United States or any other country. I’m not even recognized as a human. While I have gained the same basic rights, which Vision has been given, I am vulnerable to legal actions taken against me because of my forced role as “Tony Stark”. It is only Shield who is keeping me safe from these parties that are interested in using me. So, I am essentially the property of Shield. _I am vulnerable in ways that disgust me. I want to rage and scream at the injustice, but honestly there is nothing I can do to change it. I have escaped one role only to be forced into another._

There’s a pounding on my door as I exit the bathroom, still bare chested, wearing only black lounge pants and towel around my neck. I sigh as someone shouts through the door, “Rhodes, I know you’re in there! Answer the fucking door for before I break it!” With an exaggerated sigh, I open the door to find a man of average height, who is a well-muscled man with strawberry-blond hair and piercing green-blue eyes. The man’s eyes open wide in surprise. It’s the Archer, Hawkeye, otherwise known as Clint Barton.

“I’m not Jim.” I answer resting a hip against the door-frame, “he has moved his room elsewhere. Can I help you Mr. Barton?”

“Who the fuck are you?” Clint asks, inadvertently giving my naked and toned chest a once over.

“I’m your temporary teammate assigned by Director Fury. I like the name Tanglewood.” I say offering my hand. The Archer ignores my hand, staring at it in disdain. I sigh, pulling my hand back, “Well it’s official, this is going to suck.” I say turning on my heel and shutting the door in the blonde’s face.

_“You really should’ve been kinder, Clint. I really wouldn’t want to burn bridges with him.” Nat says strolling up to Clint._

_“Who the fuck was that?” Clint asks his best friend._

_“That was the man who invented the Iron Man armor and the War Machine armor.” Natasha answers._

_“The fuck? That was the guy who stole Anthony Stark’s identity?” Clint asks._

_“He didn’t steal Tony’s identity willingly.” Natasha interjects. “The timeline places him as a nine-year-old child, when he became Tony. Shield thinks it must have been something similar to the Red Room program. There’s not a lot we know about him, it’s mostly conjecture. However, what Shield is certain of, is that Hydra is terrified of him.” Natasha says to Clint, Steve and Sam. Steve and Sam had appeared just as the door was shut in Clint’s face._

_“He didn’t seem very friendly.” Sam remarks._

_“Clint was being an idiot.” Natasha says._

_“Whatever,” Clint says stalking off towards the training rooms._

_“Clint,” Steve calls out, “We’re meeting as a team with the new recruits in an hour, don’t exhaust yourself!” Clint waves them off dismissively. “He’s been in a foul mood since we got back.” Steve comments._

_“It’s only been three days, give him time to adapt.” Sam says, “We’re not exactly popular around here.”_

_No one can argue with that. Their welcoming committee was a mass of protesters. Their words were still ring in their ears, “Not my Heroes.” The crowd had shouted and hurled eggs and overly ripe tomatoes._ I can hear their conversation through the walls as I dress in boxers, black canvas tactical pants, a black t-shirt which is tight across my shoulders and pectorals, and a pair of black leather combat boots. _I am a little disgruntled with Barton. I’m dreading my upcoming meeting with the other Avengers. I worry that they will treat me just like the idiotic archer or they will use me for my intelligence._ Once dressed, I hesitate, for only a moment, before exiting my room for the public cafeteria. My technopathic link to Friday guides me to the cafeteria through what seems like endless hallways. The room is a long and wide, with large circular tables made of cherry-wood wood with matching wood chairs. At least twelve chairs can fit at a table. The floor is covered in blue-green tile. The walls are painted turquoise. The breakfast counters are mostly empty and self-servicing. I pick up a bagel, chive and onion cream cheese, and lox. I turn to look for a free table. The room is filled with different groups of individuals from engineers and other academics to human agents and enhanced humans.

Jim enters the room and scans it, no doubt for me. _My nerves gnaw at me like a lion at an antelope’s legs. It’s a sickeningly helpless feeling. My hands feels shaky. This is it, the moment of truth – can he forgive me for my deceptions?_ I hesitantly lift my hand in greeting and my friend does a double-take. With several quick and long strides, he is in front of me. Then his arms are wrapped around me. “Geez, Tony,” my friend says, “You grew up handsome.” He says through the tears, which trickle down his cheeks.

“Call me Tanglewood, platypus.” I say, “I prefer Tanglewood.” Jim studies me for one long moment before nodding firmly.

“Tanglewood, let me introduce you to a few of my friends.” Jim says leading me over to a table of enhanced and unenhanced human agents, scattered with a few academics. There’s a brunette woman with dark eyes and a wicked smirk, Private Investigator Jessica Jones, I think. There’s a blond woman, I almost immediately identify at Carol Danvers, or Captain Marvel. Another woman with thick ebony hair, wearing red leather and carrying a tanto looks up as we approach the table. There’s a large muscular black man and a blind man with lean and wiry muscles. There’s also a soldier, I hesitantly assign the identity of Frank Castle, the Punisher, too. The last individual is a curly blonde male named Daniel Rand or the Iron Fist. “Guys, this is my friend, Tanglewood. He created the War Machine armor. Tanglewood, this is the Defenders team and Captain Marvel.” Jim says before indicating each in turn, “This is the Iron Fist, Danny Rand, and Luke Cage,” Jim says pointing to the large muscular black man, who is glowering at me. “Then Jessica Jones, a private eye who has enhanced strength and one solid punch.” Jim says smiling at her. “We also have Daredevil or Matt Murdock,” Jim says indicating the blind man, “Frank Castle, the Punisher, and Elektra, a bad-ass assassin with some Lazarus-like abilities,” he says introducing the woman in red leather, “You remember Carol, right?”

“Good to see you again eyebrows,” I say teasingly to the blond. She growls back with humor turning her lips upwards.

“Once, it happened once! And it was your lab explosion!” Carol protests. I smother my laughter as I take the seat next to Carol and Jim takes the one on my other side. Jim lays his arm on the back of my chair protectively.

“It’s good to see you again, Carol.” I say.

“Likewise, Tanglewood.” Carol says with a small smile.  

“This is fucking shit!” Luke finally snaps standing angrily and slamming his fists against the table, “Why the fuck are they letting some con-artist join us?!” Jim scowls ready to protest, and Carol looks ready to pummel Luke. The others look torn.

“I was nine years old,” I interrupt the brewing conflict, “And I didn’t have a choice.” _It’s not that I am blameless, but I honestly didn’t see the work we did as wrong. Ultimately, our purpose is to safeguard humanity and independent thought. At the time I was certain that the consequences of assuming the identity of Anthony Stark as inconsequential and a necessary evil. I was so endocrine with our mission, I failed to realize that others would be hurt by my deception. I wanted to tell Jim so many times, but my fears stayed my hand. Would he hate me? Would he understand?_

“Everyone has a choice!” Luke says, but he slumps back into his seat, looking a little less angry.

“I didn’t,” I say, “I was a genetically-engineered child soldier and I’ve never known a mother or a father. I didn’t know what we were doing was wrong. We were given orders and that was all we knew.” Jessica looks at me sympathetically, while the others look torn between surprise and horror. “I am one of the last of my kind, one of five survivors of the program. There used to be hundreds of us until the purge happened. I don’t know where the others are currently, but I was placed in the role of Anthony Stark, who had been recently murdered, to save my life.” I say this such a serious tone that the others regard me with horror and no little pity.

I turn my attention back to my bagel. Jim sets a cup of coffee down next to my elbow. It is doctored the way I like it. I give him a fond smile, which he returns. Conversation picks up slowly as I listen, and I add in a few humorous anecdotes. One of my sarcastic quips on Jim’s behavior in college causes Luke to belly laugh, a deep rumbling sound. It’s been almost an hour when I reluctantly part from their company.

I return to my room and find a note stuck to the door with tape from Director Hill, “Meeting with your team, in room D204 at 10.” It says simply. I turn my heel in search of room D204. It’s 9:55. I find it faster than I anticipated. I am the second individual to appear, Daisy is waiting patiently in the room. I take an open chair next to her, nodding to her in greeting as she is bent doodling on some paperwork. It’s the Director of SWORD, Maria Hill who enters next. She looks around the room, as if expecting the other Avengers hiding behind the door. She huffs angrily at their absence. She leaves the room once more.

I close my eyes and turn my magical senses outwards. One of the things the program breed us for was magic. The five of us, the survivors, are a triple threat – physically enhanced, bred for magic, and mentally enhanced with extremis. _I am Atlas, the eternal enemy of Hydra, for the Hive Mind is a consciousness of One._ I think, activating my abilities. The life signs of the individuals inhabiting the building flare to life in my mindscape. Rogers and Barnes are easy to identify. Roger and Barnes are like human infernos, their body temperature is significantly higher to my senses. They’re heading towards the conference room, with Natasha trailing behind them dragging Barton by his ear. Sam is coming from the opposite direction with a reluctant Banner and a nervous Lang. They’re following Director Hill. Thor is the only one missing. I quickly open my eyes my sight is overlaid with translucent popup balloons from Friday. She’s bored. The United Nations is wary of her since Ultron and are not using her to her maximum capacity. I dismiss the popups as I hear the footsteps of the others approaching. Daisy sticks a pair of sunglasses in my face.

“Your eyes are glowing. It’s distracting.” She says, I take the sunglasses and slipping them on my nose.

“Thanks,” I say quietly, sincerely. The Avengers enter the room. I’ve never seen them in person, except for the rude archer who slinks into the room and flops down on a chair gracelessly.

Steve Rogers takes one look at me and swallows. I raise an eyebrow at him before turning away to examine everyone else. His figure tells me he relies a lot on his strength and speed, kicking and punching his way out of conflicts. I have read over his exploits as a strategist and most of his plans are one-dimensional if effective in the short-term. The Avengers’ fight against Bruce’s Ultron was a mixture of Steve’s one-dimensional planning and Jim’s more complex and multilevel strategies.

Natasha Romanov is slender and petite, which hides her corded muscles and deadly abilities beneath a thin veneer of soft and supple curves and flawless porcelain flesh. Her pale-green eyes analyze me before dismissing me as another hulking meathead. I am someone, she no doubt thinks, she can manipulate with her womanly assets and emotional manipulation skills garnered from her training in spy-craft. I want to snort in disbelief, she doesn’t recognize some trained in the same manner as herself. She’s losing her touch. Maybe it’s because she’s been the sole covert operative of the Avengers for far too long. I watch as she fidgets with her sleeve as if nervous, no doubt to make herself seem vulnerable to those around her.

Sam Wilson stands a little over average height and has broad shoulders. He has an endearing gap-toothed smile. His smile is infectious. He’s muscular in an unassuming and nonthreatening manner. He’s naturally charismatic and good-humored. He’s also perceptive, which I note as he adjusts his stance slightly to mimic those around him. He falls into step just behind Rogers and Barnes. Reports call him a “yes-man,” but I question the validity of those claims. The man is too perceptive and emphatically intuitive.  

James Barnes is tall, broad-shouldered and muscular. He has a roguish charm. I prefer him clean-shaven as he is now. His dimpled and strong jaw is very attractive. His thick and silken hazelnut-brown hair is pulled back into a bun. He has stunning gray-blue eyes framed by long eyelashes and expressive eyebrows. His skin is lightly tanned a golden-brown. His lips quirk in amusement and interest as he catches me checking him out, I smile and shrug. He’s attractive, I’ll admit, but he’s a proverbial stranger and I’m demisexual and demiromantic. I need an emotional connection and familiarity with the individual, before I form a romantic and sexual interest in the individual. I refuse to rely on secondhand information to construct my knowledge on. Barnes appears to be faster and more agile than Rogers. His reflexes are more advance, and he is hyper-aware, no doubt from his experiences. His cybernetic-mechanical arm makes up for his lesser strength in comparison to Rogers. However, he is still significantly stronger than most baseline humans. His hands are scarred from knife fighting.

Bruce Banner appears to be a mild-mannered scientist with an introverted personality and a cautious demeanor. However, I sense his underlying anger and the physical tension he carries himself with. He’s a spitfire under that artificial calm. He’s a handsome older man with graying-ebony curls and whiskey-colored eyes.  If I were really Anthony Stark, and if I hadn’t been genetically engineered and injected with the super soldier and extremis serums, we’d look close in age. He’s not a physical fighter in this form and the Hulk, his alter ego, is safely tucked away. Some part of me is disappointed. The Hulk has always been an interest of mine.

Scott Lang is an unassuming middle-aged man with a lean and wiry figure and messy brown-hair. All profiles call him mischievous, manipulative and sneaky. There are laugh lines around his eyes and lips, indicating his good humor. He has some training in boxing, as indicated by the calluses on his knuckles and on his fingers between the knuckles and first joints. He uses the ant-man armor’s enhanced strength to fight, but without building his coordination and speed in his bigger-form, he’s Goliath and little else. The suit logically increases his strength depending on his size, bigger equates stronger and small is less strong. An ant can lift five thousand-times its own weight. So,  the suit’s ability to increase its strength is dependent on the increase its own weight. His smaller form is more efficient in a fight and he’s less prone to trip over himself when he is smaller.

Director Hill enters the room, as the others ease into their seats. “Good morning,” She greets briskly, “Let me introduce you to your temporary teammates.” She says addressing the Avengers, “This is Daisy Johnson, Shield Agent and inhuman known as Quake. She’s a genius hacker, talented in martial arts, proficient in weapons and extremely skilled with her superhuman abilities.” Maria says indicating Daisy. “And this is Tanglewood, former Atlas Agent,” here Bucky stiffens, and his eyes open wide in surprise, “Genetically engineered in the womb, injected with multiple serums, a magic practitioner and a genius engineer of unparalleled ability.” Maria concludes pointing at me. “Play nice,” she says leaving the room. The room is filled with an awkward silence.

* * *

“Good Morning, Detective Serafino.” Greeted the beat cop, guarding the door. The young man nods to her, his eyes scanning over the mailboxes. The early Spring day is unseasonable warm and the rising sun casts deep shadows on the doorstep of the dilapidated apartment complex on the south-side of Hell’s Kitchen.

“What apartment is our victim in?” He asks, eyes focused on the neat row of metal mailboxes.

“Number 329. Third floor of course, can’t miss it.” he nods, giving her a fleeting smile in thanks. He takes the stairs slowly. He reaches the third floor. The police had marked off a corner of the hall with yellow tape, where a forensic technician was snapping photos of a bloody hand print on the victim’s apartment door. His eyes fly over the hand print on the interior of the open door. _Big, thick fingers, broad palm, indentation in the metal of the door, a little black grease smeared in the blood. The fingers facing opposite door hinges, door swings outward to the left side, hinges on the interior_. He notes as he enter the apartment. He hums to himself.

While, there’s two policemen outside of the room, the interior in nearly swarming with the blue-dressed public servants. His eyes flicker over a pile of letters on the coffee table, in front of the couch. There’s an area carpet under the couch and table, indentations in the carpet are visible near the couch. _The coffee table is off-center. The couch has been moved recently._ There are keys still on the side table, _close to the edge of the table_ , near the door. The table is under a mirror. There’s a small and round woven-basket on the side table. There’s a blood spatter on the right wall near the mirror, _not enough to be fatal_.  On the opposite wall was more blood spatter, _enough to be fatal_.

Someone had dug out the bullet in the wall, under the blood splatter. He turns on his heel, _first bullet still in door frame_. He walks further into the apartment. It’s small and crummy – studio apartment. There’s some quality clothes in the closet _, not knock-offs_. He notes the designer tag and perfect seams. Metal baseball bat tucked between the back of the couch and the radiator, _dusty, not touched recently_. They had already removed the body – _damn, hate the morgue, cold as shit_. A Chair is pulled out in front of dining table and the chair is facing the front door. “It’s pretty clear it’s a home invasion gone wrong.” A rookie detective says, he snorted. The Precinct captain turns to the young man, the police detective.

“Different opinion, Detective Serafino?” He asks succinctly.

“Yeah, the perp was lying in wait. She was hiding from something and her past caught up with her.”

“How’d you figure?” the rookie asks sneering at him.

“She was by the front door, right?” he says, _double checking_ , Precinct Captain nods. He lets out a breath, “Chairs pulled out in front of kitchen table. Woman’s a neat freak, clothes sorted by color and season. Her books,” He says gesturing to the shelf against the far wall, “Are by genre and then alphabetical by author. Couch has been moved, the indentations are visible, and the coffee table is off-center. Someone moved it for a clean shot to the front door. First shot nicked her left arm. Blood spatter on the right wall from the perp’s perspective. The first bullet is still in the door frame. Second shot was taken closer, splatter on the perp’s left now. There’s enough blood spatter to prove fatal. I am guessing it wasn’t a head-shot. Bullet went through and through. She had just come in, when he startles her, she drops her keys on the side table, but not in the basket. Male, hand print on front door is definitely male – broad palm and thick fingers. Fingers faces opposite the hinges, he pushed it open from the inside to get out. He didn’t force it open to get in. He probably took something off her that got the blood on his hands. He shot to kill. Most likely he wasn’t checking her pulse. The mailbox to this apartment is rusted shut, but she has mail. No pictures of family or friends. So, where’s she’d get her mail? Probably from a PO box. Why rent a PO box if she had an apartment? She doesn’t want a traceable address. She’s rich enough to buy Prada, check the closet, none of them are knock offs. So, why is she in this crummy studio apartment? Obviously, she’s in hiding. I could tell you more, but you removed the corpse before I got here.” He concludes.

“Alright, Serafino, head down to autopsy, we’re running with your idea.” The Precinct captain says. He nods resolutely, turning on his heel and head out of the apartment. As he exits the apartment complex, Detective Serafino pulls out a cigarette and light it. he doesn’t smoke, not really, but the smell of smoke calms him. The smoke reminds him of his mom’s magic. His mom was from Norway, he never knew his father. He is like his mom, a magic practitioner. Although, he had chosen a mundane occupation as a mean of supporting himself.  

He does have the credentials to enlist in the FBI or even the CIA, but he is uninterested bureaucratic crap. Detective Serafino has a Doctorate in Criminal Psychology, a dual-Masters in Criminology and Criminal Justice and a bachelor’s in forensic sciences. People think he is a genius, but he just tell people that he has an impressive memory. He writes papers under the pen-name Basilio Malfiore for several scholarly papers. He’s only twenty-three, but some days he feels decades older.

The Rookie Detective exits the building. He sneers as Detective Serafino, nose turned up in disdain as he lights his own cigarette, near the alley and takes a long drag. The Precinct Captain exits the building and rookie drops his cigarette as if he’s been burned. He follows Captain to his squad car, opening the door like chauffeur. _Ass kisser_ , Serafino thinks uncharitably. Not that it really matters. Serafino can barely understand how the Rookie was promoted to Detective. The Rookie has got the technical knowledge, but none of the real talent or innovation and creativity. It’s like a blown-up pixelated picture, he can see bits and pieces of it, but not the whole picture. As Rookie chats amiable with the Captain, Detective Serafino walks the perimeter of the building. Fire escape in the alley has been used recently, and not to smoke a joint. There are no buds littering the alley below. The fire escape isn’t directly connected to the victim’s apartment. It’s two windows away, but the ledges are unusually wide and close together as usual with the architectural time period. He is almost certain that the perp entered through the window. He can see that the casing is old and cracked, easy to jimmy a knife under the casing and pop open the lock.

He will need to check the window from the inside.

* * *

**To Be Continued**

* * *

 

 **Casting:** _Tanglewood ǀ Sort-of Anthony “Tony” Stark_ – David Gandy (model), _(Original) Anthony “Tony” Stark_ – Robert Downey Jr. (actor), _Morgan Stark –_ Patrick Dempsey (actor), _Cameron Klein_ – Christopher Gorham (actor), _Harley Keener_ – Dylan O’Brien (actor), _Vision –_ Paul Bettany (with long hair – Search: Inkheart Dustfinger), _Mathias Serafino –_ Christopher Mason (model), _Sunset Bain_ – Adelaide Kane (actress), _James Rhodes –_ Don Cheadle (actor) (I’m a fan), _Harold_ “ _Happy” Hogan_ – Jason Lewis (actor), _Mary Jane Watson_ – Grace Holley (actress), _Gwen Stacy_ – Chloe Grace Moretz (actress),   _Peter Parker_ – Tom Holland (actor), _Jean Grey –_ Madelaine Petsch (actress), _Scott Sommers_ – Sam Heughan (actor), _Remy LeBeau_ – Taylor Kitsch (actor) (as in X-Men Origins: Wolverine), _Ororo Munroe_ – Alexandra Shipp (actress), _Betsy Braddock_ – Sofia Boutella (dancer-actress), _Kitty Pryde_ – Ellen Page (actress) (as in X-Men: Days of Future Past), _Robert Drake_ – Shawn Ashmore (actor), _Anna-Marie_ – Anna Paquin (actress), _Riri Williams_ – Amandla Stenberg (actress), _William Kaplan_ – Hiro Mizushima (actor), _Belladonna_ (OFC) – Dakota Fanning (actress), _Kamala Khan_ – Menna Arafa (actress), _America Chavez_ – Cierra Ramirez (actress), _Dante Pertuz_ – Tyler Posey (actor). **_All other roles remain the same as in the Cinematic Universes_**

 

**Please leave a review on your way out!**


End file.
